Clearly, Google isn’t happy. But seeing as Samsung is the world’s biggest mobile-maker, it can’t get too stroppy.

After all, including its services on Samsung phones is how Google makes its money from Android.

This new deal, which comes unsurprisingly just as Google divests itself of Motorola, will see Samsung put Google Play, Gmail, Newsstand and other apps to the forefront of future releases.

As the Re/code report which broke the news puts it, the arrangement brings, “...Samsung’s view of Android in line with Google’s own.”

Google’s concern runs deep. With 25% of shipped Android phones in the last three months of 2013 lacking its suite of apps, it’s reached a point where a quarter of its partners are essentially getting a free ride.

The notion of Android being an open source alternative seemed great when the platform launched.

Now though, Google has to wrest back control if it’s going to keep making money from those millions of Android users out there.

This deal, though, will help restore some sanity. Perhaps we’ll see an end to custom skins which only serve to confuse and annoy.

That’s wishful thinking, but if Google can hammer out a deal with Samsung, it can hammer out a deal with any of its manufacturers.

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